The holidays are expensive and letâ’s skip the gifts, decorations and wrapping. The holiday food can end up costing an arm and a leg. Cooking this recent Thanksgiving meal I thought about buying a ham until I read on the label that it cost almost $60. Add in all the time it costs to prepare the meals and it is no wonder that it takes the whole family to be able to feed the whole family. There has to be a better way. Fortunately there is.
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1. Shop for Christmas right now. You can find some pretty good after Thanksgiving sales at the grocery store.
2. Pick your own. Find a neighbor that has pecan or walnut trees and ask if you can pick some up. You might even offer to pick up enough for the both of you (or to prepare an extra dish with your find).
3. Watch the churches. Now is the time that many church groups are doing their fund raisers for the year. Purchase desserts at a bake sale or let the church groups smoke your turkey or meat for the main course. It might cost a few extra dollars to purchase the items but the money will go to a good cause and it will save you untold hours in the kitchen.
4. Use coupons. Check the internet and the papers for coupons. When you combine those with the holiday sales you can end up getting your items for almost free.
Don’t let the holiday season break your bank. Buy items now for your next holiday feast and use coupons to save money. Get creative with where you find your ingredients and let others do the cooking for you. Saving time and money during the holidays can make the time more enjoyable and less stressful for you.